Hi all,

Thank you for your continued support of our petition.

Because I'm really not sure people understand how close this mast is to the school, I have a video showing the forest school area and proximity to the mast. It's still frustratingly not clear so if anyone has any ideas to make it clearer please let me know how. But to clarify, this, and the surrounding 20m or so, is where the most vulnerable, youngest pupils will be spending 6 hours of their day, 5 days a week.

You can view the video on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EGkCe5M2L/

For further information, and to provide context on how other countries are approaching this issue, here is a list of countries that have banned or imposed restrictions on placing phone masts near education provisions:

Australia:In Queensland, new mobile telecommunication facilities are not permitted on state school or TAFE (Technical and Further Education) property. A mandatory separation of at least 200 meters from the school or TAFE campus boundary is also required.

In New South Wales (NSW), the Department of Education's policy states an objection to telecommunication towers being located on or near school grounds.
Bangladesh: There is reportedly a national policy that prohibits the installation of cell towers on various sensitive locations, which explicitly includes schools and colleges.
Chile: National legislation (Law N° 20.599, the "Antenna Law") forbids the installation of antenna towers within designated "sensible areas." These areas include educational institutions like schools, nurseries, and kindergartens. The law also mandates a setback distance: towers cannot be installed in sites located less than four times the height of the tower from the boundaries of these sensible areas, with an absolute minimum distance of 50 meters.

Cyprus: The Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Child Health has called for the establishment of "5G-free zones," which would include schools, playgrounds, and nurseries. Additionally, the Minister of Education and Culture issued a directive in 2017 to remove Wi-Fi from public kindergartens and to remove it from elementary school classrooms, halting further Wi-Fi deployment in elementary schools.
France: While there isn't a general national law that imposes specific setback distances for external masts near schools, there is a requirement that for towers or wireless facilities located within 100 meters of schools, daycare centers, or healthcare establishments, radiofrequency (RF) exposure levels must be "minimized". The "Abeille Law" (Law No. 2015-136) also places restrictions on wireless internet access within educational settings, such as prohibiting fixed wireless internet equipment in spaces for children under three and requiring Wi-Fi in primary school classrooms to be deactivated when not in use for teaching. Some French courts have also ordered the removal of cell towers near schools based on the precautionary principle.
Greece: National law (Law 4070/2012) explicitly forbids the installation of mobile phone base stations on the premises of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, or eldercare facilities. Furthermore, stricter EMF exposure limits—60% of the limits recommended by the EU Council—are mandated for areas within 300 meters of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and nurseries.

India: While there is no single overarching national law, the Supreme Court of India has upheld a High Court ruling that ordered the removal of cell towers from the vicinity of schools, hospitals, and playgrounds, deeming their radiation "hazardous to life". Several municipal corporations and state bodies have also implemented their own stricter rules, such as prohibiting towers near schools or mandating setback distances (e.g., a 100-meter setback from schools in Mumbai).

Israel: Reports indicate that Israel enforces a cell tower setback distance of 100 meters from schools and homes. Additionally, the installation of cell antennas is prohibited on kindergartens and hospitals.

Lithuania: Cell antennas are reported to be prohibited in designated "sensitive areas," which include kindergartens, hospitals, and nursing homes. Lithuania has also implemented stricter general limits for EMF exposure.

Russia: National sanitary rules (SanPiN SP 2.4.3648-20, effective January 1, 2021) explicitly prohibit the placement of base stations of mobile cellular communication on the territory of educational organizations for children and youth. This includes schools, kindergartens, and summer camps.

Switzerland: At the federal level, the Ordinance on Protection against Non-ionizing Radiation (ORNI) mandates stricter "installation limit values" (lower emission levels) for new and modified stationary installations (like mobile phone masts) that affect "places of sensitive use." These places explicitly include schools and children's playgrounds. While ORNI does not impose outright distance-based bans federally, some Swiss cantons (states) have implemented their own moratoria on 5G deployment or have more restrictive local building and zoning laws.

United States: There is no overarching federal law in the U.S. that specifically prohibits the placement of telecommunication masts near schools or mandates national setback distances. However, numerous local governments (such as cities and counties) and some school districts have enacted their own legally binding setback ordinances or restrictive policies. For example, Palo Alto, California, has an ordinance requiring a 1,500-foot (approximately 457 meters) setback for wireless communication facilities from schools.

We hope this information is helpful and further underscores the importance of our collective concerns.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Sincerely,